1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric vehicle powered by a drive motor driven with electric power generated by an engine-driven generator and electric power from a battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional electric vehicles include hybrid-type electric vehicles, which incorporate an engine-driven generator for charging a battery during operation to supply electric power to a drive motor driving a drive wheel.
One such hybrid-type vehicle, described in Japanese Publication No. JP 2001-105899, includes a structure in which the electric power generated by the generator and the electric power of the battery are supplied to the drive motor so that the vehicle is driven only with the power of this drive motor.
Such conventional hybrid-type vehicles can employ a control system to control a vehicle speed via the rider rotating and holding an accelerator grip. Such a control system is conventional in vehicles driven with internal combustion engines. However, the sound generated by the hybrid-type vehicle is smaller than that of vehicles driven with internal combustion engines. Thus, there is no auditory feedback (e.g., sound) from engine following an operation of the accelerator grip. Consequently, some riders may find it more difficult to sense the operational state of the vehicle.